Searching for a New Place?

"You don't have to worry. I already have some ideas. It won't take long for you to regenerate your soul."

Jinde hummed. "Well, it would be nice if it could be healed. You know I feel like it's a little unfair. Chun Yin bound his soul to mine but I …" He sighed. "In this life, I'd like to reciprocate. He should also have part of my soul." He turned to the side and brushed Leng Jin Yu's hair to the side, making his lover sigh in his sleep and tighten his grasp around his waist.

Jinde smiled but couldn't help and sigh again. "Unfortunately, it's impossible as I am now. It'll have to wait until my soul has at least regenerated a bit."

Xin Lan nodded. "I will find a way. It's not impossible to heal a soul."

"Mn. I know. I just … You know, I feel so happy right now. All those things we couldn't have in our past life, they suddenly seem possible. I would like to do all of them but when I take a closer look I find out that there are still things holding us back."

Xin Lan looked at the person whose image was transmitted together with Jinde's. Ah, that bastard had so much luck. He didn't deserve this at all. But as long as he managed to make his Master happy this time around …

"You might not be able to do everything now but you're together already. You're married. It's official now." He paused, his thoughts traveling back to that day back then. His brows furrowed and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. "Well, maybe call that brat over to bear witness too. You should make sure just in case."

Jinde chuckled. "You still don't trust him?"

"I will never trust him. As long as he doesn't stand in front of the whole dragon realm and acknowledges you as his partner, I won't trust him."

"How harsh. It wasn't alone Chun Yin's fault. If not for Jian Heng, things would have turned out differently."

Xin Lan's gaze flickered and he looked away. "That thing with Jian Heng … did you tell him?"

Jinde took a look at Leng Jin Yu's sleeping face and shook his head. "No. And I don't intend to do so for now. At least not if I don't have to."

"I see."

The two of them fell silent. Xin Lan cleared his throat after a few moments. "Master … If there's nothing else, we should stop here. Your energy …"

"I know, I know. But what about you? You've vanished so suddenly. Did something happen?"

Xin Lan sighed. "Jin Ling."

Jinde closed his eyes and rubbed the spot between his brows. "Haish, that child. Did he still not give up?"

"No. And he never will. I've followed him to the demon realm to hold him back for a while but it could be that you have to leave the Yun Zou Sect. The more I try to keep him here, the more suspicious he will get. He will find opportunities to go to the Yun Zou Sect or maybe even send somebody else."

"Shouldn't he send you? I thought you would have become his most trusted aide by now."

"I certainly am. As long as it doesn't concern you." Xin Lan smiled faintly, the gaze in his eyes turning gentler.

Maybe it was normal that the person in question was unable to see it while those around him had long figured it out. Chun Yin had known back then and Jin Ling had never doubted his feelings for Jinde either. Only him alone … didn't manage to see. But maybe he didn't want to see either. After all, he had already given his heart to somebody else. There was no use. Especially not now that he had finally married that person.

Jinde sighed. "Yes, Jin Ling knows that you would rather listen to me than him. I guess I should really find out if there's another suitable place. I just doubt that Jin Yu would like that." He stroked Leng Jin Yu's hair, coiling one of the strands around his fingers. Mn, this really was a lot like Chun Yin's hair. Although he should stop comparing them. Leng Jin Yu didn't seem to like it if he did. "He hasn't been here for long but he does have some sentiments for the Yun Zou Sect. Leaving might not be an option for him right now."

"Even if staying would mean to lose you?"

Jinde's eyelids lowered, shielding his golden gaze. "There are things I haven't told him, things I don't want him to know. But if I don't explain, he won't understand. So what am I to do? Tell him everything?"

Xin Lan didn't answer. He had no right to give any advice on this matter. "Whatever you decide to do I'll support your decision. If you need me to help, then I will do so. If you need me to search for another place to stay …"

Jinde shook his head. "No, not now, at least. We've only just married. I think we should take some time to get used to this. After that, I'll try to tell him. Let's see what he thinks about it. Maybe I'm worrying too much and he won't have a problem with it."

"Mn. Maybe." He didn't have high hopes though. Chun Yin had always been someone who put his duties first and his reincarnation didn't seem much different in that regard. After all, hadn't he also gone to report to the Nine Heavens first instead of following him to the Yun Zou Sect to meet Jinde? If he felt he owed the Yun Zou Sect and was obligated to stay there and help them, then he wouldn't leave with Jinde just because of some vague insinuations. And there was no way his Master would tell him the whole truth if he wasn't forced to do so.

"Well, it'll take some time un—" Jinde's eyes widened and his face paled. "Behind you!"